GB vs France 2019

Last Thursday gave 52 J16s from around Great Britain the opportunity to don a coveted GB all-in-one and race on an international stage. They faced up against a highly competitive French team, who came across The Channel fresh from the victories the previous weekend at their national championships that secured them the place on the team. Almost every race came down to the line, making it a very close and nerve-wracking match, with some contests decided through steering and the catching of crabs, and all crews had to battle a strong headwind which was present throughout the day. The match finally resulted in a win for the strong GB team, with a score of 10-4 and wins in both the girls and boys cups, with scores of 4-3 and 6-1 respectively. 

Though the racing was said by many to have been thoroughly surreal and highly rewarding after the tough season all have been through, many also say that the highlight of the experience is the camaraderie, and the friendships that were formed. Many of these athletes will have hardly spoken before, and have seen each other as rivals up to this point, so the week provided them a chance to get to know each other. Activities such as ultimate frisbee and a slightly comical water wipeout let people mingle and form new friendships.

The short stay culminated in a dinner and ‘disco’ with both the French and British teams, and though there was an obvious language barrier to overcome, conversation was flowing throughout. Whilst many were initially sceptical, the ‘disco’ proved to be a laugh, and the French team thoroughly let their hair down and partied till they could no more. 

Overall, while this is only a small first rung on the GB ladder, it gave every athlete a first taste of international racing and will likely draw them through to many future GB vests, and hopefully long and successful careers. It'll be exciting to see where theses young athletes careers will go next!

The results and team for the match are listed below:

 Results

Junior Men

Men’s single scull (JM1x)

Harry Fletcher   (Kingston Grammar School) 

Coach: Ed Green

Men’s double sculls (JM2x) 

Marlow DePeza-Purvis (Lea RC)

Sam O’Connor (Lea RC)

Coach: Mark Cushway

Men’s quadruple sculls (JM4x)

William Kelly (Tideway Scullers School)

Finn Regan (Tideway Scullers School)

Albie Oliver (Tideway Scullers School)

Gabriele Woolmer (Tideway Scullers School)

Coach: Jonathan Williams

Men’s coxless pair (JM2-)

Wilder Fulford (Westminster School)

Willem De mol van otterloo (Westminster School)

Coach: Nick Wilde

Men’s coxless four (JM4-)

Ashley Geddes (Aberdeen Schools RA)

Oscar Forbes (Aberdeen Schools RA)

Archie Innes (Aberdeen Schools RA)

Matthew Hughson (Aberdeen Schools RA) 

Coach: Bryan Steel

Men’s coxed four (JM4+)

Nirav Tomasi (Westminster School)

Oliver Ellis (Westminster School)

Charles Cartisser (Westminster School)

Manal Pandey (Westminster School)

Caspar Griffin (Westminster School)

Coach: Nick Wilde

Men’s coxed eight (JM8+) 

Thomas O’Sullivan (St Paul’s School)

Rehan Ackrim (St Paul’s School)

Max Gillard (St Paul’s School)

Deni Galay (St Paul’s School)

Jasper Parish (St Paul’s School)

Alexander Grundy (Eton College)

William Ferguson (Eton College)

Harry Stevens (Eton College)

Cal Gorvy (Eton College)

Coach: Sam Lapage

Men's reserve single scull (Reserve JW1x)

Robert Humphris (Shiplake College)

Junior Women

Women’s single scull (JW1x)

Zoë Scheske (Tideway Sculler’s School)

Coach: Rhona MacCallum

Women’s double sculls (JW2x)

Trudie Marks (Headington School)

Claudia Rossington (Headington School)

Coach: Ryan Demaine

Women’s quadruple sculls (JW4x)

Della Luke (Henley RC)

Isabelle Cotten (Henley RC)

Georgina Pollard (Henley RC)

Holly Cookson (Henley RC)

Coach: David Lister

Women’s coxless pair (JW2-) 

Emily Milne (Glasgow Academy)

Orla Johnson (Glasgow Academy)

Coach: Iain Somerside

Women’s coxless four (JW4-)

Molly Fennell (Marlow RC)

Ella Marsh (Marlow RC)

Eloise Brindle (Marlow RC)

Molly Newman (Marlow RC)

Coach: Enya Meadows

Women’s coxed four (JW4+)

Olivia Fisk (Marlow RC)

Emma Daniell (Marlow RC)

Amy Furlonger (Marlow RC)

Isabella Checkley (Marlow RC)

Amelie Hamilton (Marlow RC)

Coach: Enya Meadows

Women’s coxed eight (JW8+)

 Daisy Rolstone (Henley RC)

Laoise O’Donohue (Henley RC)

Natalie Schoenmakers (Henley RC)

Josie Sawbridge (Henley RC)

Mia Vickerman (Henley RC)

Ursula Cornelius (Tideway Scullers’ School)

Mary McWilliam (Tideway Scullers’ School)

Alyeska Cook (Tideway Scullers’ School)

Emilia Regan (Tideway Scullers’ School)

Women’s reserve single scull (Reserve JW1x)

Saskia Ward (St. Edward's School)